BATTLING residents are being backed by the borough council in their war against mobile phone masts.

Planning officers are recommending the refusal of applications for masts in three areas from phone companies Vodafone and Hutchison 3G.

The Chronicle revealed last month how hundreds of families had joined forces to prevent a mast being erected in Chapel Lane, Coppenhall.

Within hours of the plan being made public, residents formed protest group Coppenhall Residents Against Masts (CRAM).

CRAM spokesman Patrick Sutton is delighted they are being backed by the planners.

He said: 'I am very pleased and I hope that the planning committee goes ahead next Tuesday and backs the recommendation to refuse the mast.

'The proposed site is 100 metres from the Willow Nursery in Warmingham Road and nearby Monks Coppenhall Primary School.

'The mast would be 50ft high and a complete eyesore.

'It would have six antennae, belting out electromagnetic radiation, which so far no-one has been able to say is not harmful.'

Petitions have been put together against mast proposals for Stewart Street in Crewe and Newcastle Road in Shavington.

The application by Vodafone for Stewart Street has prompted hundreds of objections.

Shavington Parish Council has objected to a proposed mast in Newcastle Road, with borough councillor David Brickhill spearheading a campaign to stop one being built at the rear of a residential property.

He said: 'There is fierce opposition to this.'

A council spokesman said: 'In -frastructure has to be located closer to mobile phone users in order to enable the system to work efficiently. However, the proposals conflict with policies in the replacement Local Plan.'